The present invention relates generally to server arrangements and, more particularly, to a storage component of server arrangement comprising a plurality of hard disk drives.
As capabilities and power of computers, including servers, increase, they often tend to require more and more space. Storing information on tape backup units is proving increasingly inadequate as they tend to be unable to keep up with modern computers' space and speed requirements. Hard disk drive backups are becoming more common.
In computers, including servers, hard disk drives such as Small Computer System Interface Service Component Architecture (SCSI SCA) drives connect directly to a backplane. Due to limits on the size of the front of the unit, only a limited number of drives can fit in a system. Typical racks for servers, network switches, and other devices are 19″ (482.6 mm) wide. A typical measure of size for such racks is the rack unit U, and a device that is 1 U is 1.75″ (44.45 mm) high. In a 1 U server such as the Gateway 9415 1 U Rack Mount Server, available from Gateway, Inc., 7565 Irvine Center Drive, Irvine, Calif. 92618, only three hard disk drives can be fit across the front of the server.
It is desirable to provide a server that is adapted to house a plurality of hard disk drives. It is also desirable to provide a server that is adapted to house a plurality hard disk drives in a manner that facilitates replacing hard disk drives.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a storage component of a server arrangement comprises a backplane and a plurality of trays, each of the plurality of trays comprising at least one frame, at least one frame having at least one hard disk drive mounted thereto, and all of the plurality of trays being configured to receive at least one hard disk drive, each of the plurality of trays comprising a connector adapted to connect the at least one hard disk drive to the backplane.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a storage component of a server arrangement comprises a tray having a backplane, a backplane connector on the backplane configured to communicatively couple to a rack, and at least one secondary connector communicatively coupled to the backplane connector and spaced from the backplane to permit positioning of a hard disk drive connected to the secondary connector such that the hard disk drive is spaced from the backplane.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a storage component of a server arrangement comprises a backplane, a tray, a controller mounted on the tray, a connector for connecting the controller to the backplane, and at least one hard disk drive mounted to the tray on opposite sides of the controller and a hard disk drive connector for connecting the hard disk drive to the controller.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a disk drive mounting system for a rack mounting system comprises a rack comprising a backplane, and a tray mountable on the rack, the tray having a backplane alignable with backplanes of at least one other server component when the tray and the at least one other server component are mounted on the rack and backplanes of the tray and the at least one other server component are connected to the backplane of the rack by a backplane connector of the tray and backplane connector of the at least one other server component. The system further comprises at least one frame for receiving a disk drive, the at least one frame being mounted on the tray, the at least one frame including an auxiliary connector connectable to the disk drive when the disk drive is received in the tray, the auxiliary connector being in communication with the backplane connector of the tray, wherein the auxiliary connector of the at least one frame is positioned forwardly of the backplane of the tray so that a disk drive connected to the auxiliary connector is spaced forwardly of the backplane when the disk drive is received in the at least one frame.